Waldo Cortes-Acosta is set for the biggest test of his UFC career this Saturday at UFC Vegas 110, when he meets former PFL heavyweight champion Ante Delija in a pivotal matchup with real stakes in the division.
For Cortes-Acosta, it’s not just another fight. It’s a chance to prove he belongs among the heavyweight elite and derail a former champion hungry to make an impact in the UFC.
“I got a lot of ideas of how I can be in the future. To develop a little more in the Octagon, to be better and to prepare myself better to be ready to counter strike and always strike back when something happens,” Cortes-Acosta told reporters on Wednesday.
Cortes-Acosta (14-2) has spent most of his UFC career competing inside the APEX, and “Salsa Boy” says the familiar setting feels like home.
“I consider this as my house. I feel comfortable every time, my family is close to me in Arixona, I have a lot of friends here in Vegas. Can pass time with those people before and after the fight,” he said.
Cortes-Acosta has studied Delija’s career from afar, long before their names ever shared a fight poster. Now that they’re set to collide, he views this matchup as a chance to defend his ground and make a statement in familiar territory.
“I feel good because I’ve seen Delija long time ago before I started in professional mma. I follow a lot of tips that he’s done in the Octagon before. But this is my territory now, this is my town this is my home I need to protect my legacy I need to protect my level right now. and it’ll be a war this Saturday,” said Cortes-Acosta.
His opponent on Saturday trains alongside current UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall’s title defense at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane was ruled a no-contest after the champion suffered an eye poke he couldn’t recover from.
“Delija is a training partner of the champion that people like here, Tom Aspinall. And we saw him in the Octagon this Saturday and everything happening, I wanna be ready for the title shot for him,” said Cortes-Acosta.
“I see Tom Aspinall different fighter, I think he wasn’t ready on that day for that fight. I see Ciryl Gane different, Aspinall bleeding a lot in the first minute. Anybody who gets pecked in the eyes in the first round doesn’t want to continue forward, not even wanting to give the opportunity to the other person, give him the belt, for poking him in the eyes.”
With Aspinall’s no-contest result still generating debate among fans, Cortes-Acosta was asked for his perspective on the unusual ending. The heavyweight didn’t hesitate to defend the champion and point out the realities of the sport.
“Any situation is not intentional. You have an open hand glove, when you try to protect yourself, your reaction is gonna be to open your hand. I know some people are saying Tom Aspinall doesn’t want to fight, he has all the right to say no. Just do a rematch and come back better,” he said.
“Any glove can poke your eyes, you just need to pay attention more to what you’re doing.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Waldo Cortes-Acosta above. He faces Ante Delija at UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday night.
